Hi Aime. How are you?

I meant to keep quiet about it, and I know what you might be thinking: it's not my business, I am biased, and I don't know the facts. The thing is, I've always believed that true friends stick by each other and interfere. I've kept quiet this long and I'm glad that things are sort of okay. Still, I need to get this out, because if I keep it to myself, I won't forgive myself.

(She never asked me to write this, if you must know. She's not the kind to do something like this. Like it or not, though, I am.)

I may not know Nelli for as long as you do, but I will say it: Nelli's not that kind of girl. In fact, you should know that she's not like that at all, to try and "pick up" with Gerry. If she were that sort, be aware that that I would never have associated myself with, (let alone stick by and sacrifice for) her at all. Aime, we wouldn't even be friends, you and me, had she not introduced us, and I take pride in being friends with good people like you, and yes, like her.

Nelli and I keep pretty close contact. If you must know, yes, she was at Cavite, but no, she didn't do that. In fact, I'd like to think I'd be one of the first to know if something like this happened. So imagine my shock and my confusion seeing Facebook posts and hearing rumors about somebody I care for very deeply and in such ugly circumstances.

You know both of them too well. I think it is because of that, I feel you ought to trust in their both better natures, most especially Gerry's. He is your fiance, and for every day I see you two together, I sense it in him - hindi niya itatataboy ang pagmamahal ni Aime just to be with some girl for one night. He may have done that before, but I sense different, because it's YOU. And I worry if you don't see that.

On my end, I love Nelli with all my heart, never mind if she'd rather be with someone else. A big part of this love is how I have faith in her. Yes, there are times when I am very uncomfortable with the situations she likes to get into. But every time, she comes away with dignity and grace. She's smart. She knows how to get around and gets it right. She isn't the type to mess other people's lives.

And she's your friend. She was able to convince me to drive several hundred kilometers for you, to see Gerry, the man you love. She did that for you, as I did that for you and her. She cares very much for your well-being and would never do this. (And if Gerry really insists it's her, then he'll have to prove it for real, more than just talk about it.)

I would sometimes talk to her in the past week and I'd see how hurt and how upset she had been, especially after people started talking after they saw that you had to say. She'd shut her self in and bury her time at work. She never said a mean word about you when we were together or to anyone, but I didn't need to guess. I knew that she's been deeply offended, especially with how she felt (and how I feel too) her reputation had been attacked. I don't want something like this happening to my sister, my mother, what more the woman I love deeply?

It's not right. And I'm asking you, in any capacity you can, to help make things okay again. The two of you deserve some measure of justice, and the way things have been just won't do.

I may be wrong. Tanggap ko yun. But I am writing to say that in the end, I do pray that somehow everything sorts out. You owe it to yourself, after all, for real, lasting peace of mind.

Raph out.


-R